


Ranch Hand

by Burgie



Series: SSO Wild West AU [7]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-04 20:44:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14601336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: A lonely newcomer to New Jorvik arrives at the Moorland ranch seeking employment. The Wild West AU belongs to clightlee.





	Ranch Hand

Louisa took a deep breath as she stood before the door of the main ranch house. She’d seen several other buildings on her way in, up the long driveway, no doubt buildings belonging to the other ranch hands. She knew that at least one building was the famous Moorland Stables, the most famous stables in New Jorvik. Her hands trembled so much that the paper in them threatened to fall, but she held it firm. She’d found the ‘help wanted’ sign in the tavern, tacked onto a notice board, and she had come here searching for employment, after all. She may have convict roots, but she was determined to make a real go of life. Even if just the very thought of it had her stomach twisting itself into knots out of pure nerves.

She took another deep breath and this time let it out, closing her eyes. She just had to remember to breathe, that was all. Breathe, and be herself, but don’t be too shy. She wanted this job, she was qualified, and she would walk away from here with either a job or a recommendation. That was the plan.

Of course, once she’d finally gotten up the courage to knock, Louisa’s heart began to thunder in her chest and her vision started to grey slightly. Oh dear. This was not part of the plan. Reminding herself to breathe, Louisa stood, trembling, on the welcome mat, her shaking legs somehow managing to hold her up.

The door opened to reveal an older man, his blond hair showing some streaks of grey beneath his grey cap. Despite how large he was, his stomach showed the softness of a tendency to overindulge, and the creases around his eyes were laugh lines. Here was a man who would be kind, she was sure.

“Can I help you?” asked the man, his voice deep yet gentle. Like a father. Like her father. Louisa pushed down the stab of homesickness that went straight through her heart, and instead thrust the paper out in front of her.

“I’ve come about the ranch hand job,” said Louisa, willing her voice not to shake. The man, Thomas Moorland, she remembered now, frowned slightly, as though confused by her accent. Louisa blushed.

“You’ve come a mighty long way for a ranch hand job,” said Thomas, his eyes flicking over her. Louisa knew that he wouldn’t exactly find much good for work, her hands soft from spending more time with her nose in a book than doing anything else.

“My family encouraged me to come out here for a new start,” said Louisa. “They were all convicts, you see, and they don’t want me to be branded as such. They said that I should make a life for myself and so, well… here I am.”

“Hmm,” Thomas hummed thoughtfully. “I guess that’s a good idea. But I don’t know about taking on someone as inexperienced as you.”

“Oh, please,” said Louisa, surprising herself with her desperation. “I can work hard, I promise you. I’ve worked on my family’s ranch before, I’ve even worked with a horse. Why, I raised my Westie from a yearling.”

“Yes, and I bet that you had help with that, didn’t you?” said Thomas, Louisa’s heart sinking as he turned away from her. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you’re suited for the job.”

“At least give me a chance to prove myself,” said Louisa, tears stinging her eyes as her hands trembled. She curled them into fists, not that she’d ever thrown a punch in her life. “Please, I’ll do anything. I’ll muck the stables, I’ll wash the dishes, I’ll even cook for you.”

“I’ve heard that a few times,” said Thomas. “You’re not just trying to get this job because of my boy, are you? I’ve had too many girls come here wanting the job just to be able to see him.”

“What? No,” said Louisa, offense colouring her voice. “I have no interest in men, my heart lies with the women.” Now Thomas looked back at her, his brown eyes alight with happiness.

“What? Really?” asked Thomas.

“Yes,” said Louisa, nodding. “I don’t even know who your son is, sir, so I certainly didn’t come for him.”

“Oh, happy day!” Thomas cheered, pulling her into a crushing hug. Louisa gave a little squeak of surprise. “I thought I’d never see the day! Finally, a young lady who is interested not in my son but in good old-fashioned hard work.”

“Glad I could make you happy,” said Louisa, almost breathless from how tightly Thomas was hugging her.

“But I have one more question,” said Thomas, looking at her seriously after setting her down. “Are you only wanting this job in order to pick up the ladies?”

“No,” said Louisa immediately. “Though, if it happens, I won’t complain. But I genuinely want this job, it will mean so much to me.”

“Well then, I guess I can give you a trial,” said Thomas. Louisa grinned, bouncing on her feet a little in excitement.

“Thank you, sir, you won’t regret it,” said Louisa, elation flooding through her. “When do I start?”

“Well, get changed out of that travelling dress of yours and come back here,” said Thomas. “You mentioned a horse before, did you bring it with you?”

“No,” said Louisa, looking down. “Alas, I could only afford passage for myself on the ship to New Jorvik. I had to leave my Westie at home, but I am sure that he will be fine.”

“A pity to be a ranch hand and not have a horse,” said Thomas. “That would ordinarily make things more difficult, if not impossible. However.” Louisa looked up at the note of optimism in his tone to find him smiling. “Here at the Moorland ranch, we have more than enough horses to go around. As part of your employment, you will be given a horse to help you work. I will get him ready while you are gone, when you come back, you can meet him and start work.”

“Okay,” said Louisa with a nod. She was already looking forward to it, and her steps were just that little bit lighter, just a little bit more of a spring in them, as she returned to the inn where she was staying until she had lodgings. In her haste, she had forgotten to ask Thomas if she would have a room, at least, while she worked there. Most ranches did provide lodging for their workers as part of their employment package, and Thomas was kind, so he probably would too. She hoped.

At the inn, Louisa changed into olive green pants and a long-sleeved mauve blouse, putting a proper cowboy hat on over her braided hair. She smiled at herself in the mirror, her heart fluttering with nerves. But it would be okay. She’d been accepted on a trial basis, and she was determined to do her best. No matter what.

When Louisa got back to the ranch, she could see Thomas in a corral over near the main house. She approached curiously, squinting to better see the horse that Thomas was standing with. Movement caught her eye, but Louisa couldn’t quite make out the features of the other man over there. Well, she wouldn’t get a better glimpse from where she was standing, so Louisa hurried her footsteps until she had at last reached the corral.

“Hello again, Louisa,” said Thomas, raising a hand in greeting. Louisa raised her own hand in return, standing on the bottom railing of the fence as she had many times growing up on her family’s smaller farm back in Australia.

“Come on in,” said Thomas with a chuckle. He turned to the other man. “Justin, this is the new ranch hand, Louisa. And don’t worry, she’s not out to steal your heart, though she might just steal your girlfriend’s heart. When you get one.”

“Dad,” said Justin, embarrassed, but he held his hand out for Louisa to shake. She did so, a little nervous at the callouses that she could feel on his palm. She’d have her work cut out for her here, that was for sure. “Hi, Louisa.”

“Hi, Justin,” said Louisa, giving him a friendly smile. “Your dad must care a lot about you, he was very concerned that I was only applying for the job in order to get to know you better.”

“Are you sure you’re not too well-read to be a ranch hand?” asked Justin. “You could be a teacher, with those words.”

“Oh, well, I’m too shy for that,” said Louisa, blushing. “And I can’t see for beans. Plus, with my accent, the kids would only get confused.”

“Well, you’re not the only one in New Jorvik with an accent, that’s for sure,” said Justin with a chuckle. Louisa looked intrigued. “How long have you been here for?”

“A few days,” said Louisa, fiddling with the sleeves of her shirt. “I had to rest up after my long journey here, but I knew that my money would run out soon so I went in search of a job.”

“That sounds alright,” said Justin, nodding. “Maybe someone should show you around here sometime. I would, but then people would get the wrong idea.”

“Yes, and we can’t have that happening,” said Thomas. “Loretta would have words to say about that.”

“Should I be worried?” asked Louisa as Justin groaned at the mention of the other woman.

“As long as you make it clear to her that you don’t like men, you should be fine,” said Justin. “But Loretta is a real piece of work. She came here looking for a job and dad took her on, but it was pretty obvious from day one that she only wanted the job to get closer to me. The whole time, she fawned over me, tried to get me to fall in love with her, wrote me love letters, she all but stripped naked in front of me.” His cheeks burned, and Louisa tried to keep a straight face.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Louisa. “So, when do I get started?”

“Right now,” said Thomas, leading a horse over. “It’s good that you’re so eager to start, that’s a good quality to see in a worker.” Louisa grinned at the sight of the horse, especially now that she could see it properly. It was a stallion, but he appeared to be gentle-tempered. At least, he didn’t rear or buck or otherwise misbehave as Thomas gave Louisa his lead.

“Who’s this?” asked Louisa, cooing as she held her hand out for the horse to sniff. Deciding that she was worthy, the horse blew air on her hand and allowed Louisa to pet his black mane. He was a dun pinto, by the look of him, and the most beautiful horse that Louisa had ever seen. She’d always had a soft spot for the ‘painted’ horses.

“This is Goldmist,” said Justin, standing up tall and puffing his chest out with pride. “I helped train him. He’s a Jorvik Warmblood, we specialise in those on our ranch.”

“Wow, he’s pretty,” said Louisa, petting Goldmist’s neck. 

“Perhaps you should take him for a ride around town,” said Thomas. “Get to know him, and see a bit more of the town. He knows his way back, too, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost.”

“So you’ll be my guide, huh?” said Louisa as she carefully climbed up into the horse’s saddle. She hadn’t ridden since she’d been at home, but she found herself remembering it rather easily. Even if it was a little strange to be looking down on a black mane rather than a chestnut one. Bidding the Moorlands a quick farewell, Louisa clicked her tongue and let Goldmist pick the pace as they travelled into town. He picked a walk, which was just fine. She needed to see the sights, after all, and she wouldn’t see much going at a flat-out gallop.

Though Louisa had been staying here for a few days now, she hadn’t been out of her room at the inn much. She’d been into the local store, of course, to buy some simple supplies like soap and bread, and the ever-present book. And of course, there had been the one trip to the tavern, where she’d grabbed the ‘help wanted’ sign and then darted out before the barkeep or his friend could notice her. She’d also ventured into the library once or twice, just to peruse the books. Long afternoons were usually spent with a book in hand, even if reading did cause her to squint afterwards. She desperately needed spectacles, but she couldn’t afford them. Maybe she’d be able to after a few years of working on the Moorland ranch, but right now, money was tight. Just like it always had been back home. Taking a deep breath of the different air here, Louisa let the homesickness wash over her. Like it or not, this little town was home now. She was sure that she’d find friends, and she’d already found employment. And she had Goldmist. That was a start. Before too long, this might start feeling like home, too. Even if everything looked different, and everyone sounded different. Maybe she’d have enough money to take a vacation home eventually. Maybe. Or maybe her family would visit. But deep down, she knew that she had to get over her homesickness. It was the only way forward.

Raising her head again, Louisa nudged Goldmist’s sides to get him to continue on into the town proper. Into the place that she now called home.


End file.
